Photo courtesy of Academy Heritage

MIAMI – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state is the first in the nation to affirm its commitment to academic and operational excellence in response to the National Call to Action issued to postsecondary institutions nationwide.

DeSantis said a joint statement was signed by all public post secondary presidents to the U.S. Department of Education affirms the Florida College System and State University System’s commitment to rigorous teaching, path breaking research where applicable, and service to the nation, while outlining the standards and priorities Florida’s institutions are committed to upholding.

The joint statement was signed by all 28 Florida College System presidents and 12 State University System presidents.

“Florida’s colleges and universities offer world-class opportunities for learning, research, and career pathways. We’ve ignored the noise and focused on merit, and the results speak for themselves, said DeSantis.” “Today, we led the way in answering the call from the Department of Education to affirm Florida’s commitment to rigorous instruction, groundbreaking research, and service to our country in higher education.”

System Chancellor Ray Rodriguez said U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s Call to Action reinforces what matters most: higher education’s mission of educating students and serving the economic and civic needs of our state and nation.

“The State University System of Florida is proud to affirm the principles that have made our universities a national model for higher education,” Rodriguez said. “Florida remains focused on academic excellence through merit-based admissions, rigorous teaching and scholarship, meaningful public service, and a belief that intellectual diversity is critical to a marketplace of ideas. Our institutions will continue to offer a world-class education at the most affordable price in the nation.”

Florida Commissioner of Education Henry Mack said American higher education was founded to form free citizens capable of self-government and to advance the common good, not to chase fads, inflate credentials, or serve ideological capture.

“It exists to prepare students for successful careers and to form citizens through serious engagement with the liberal arts and the enduring principles that sustain a free society,” Mack said. “Florida has been leading the nation by putting students first, protecting academic excellence, and insisting that our institutions remain focused on the education and workforce needs of our state and country.”

He said McMahon’s Call to Action is an overdue opportunity for institutions across the country to return to those roots and make those commitments clear and measurable.

“In Florida, we expect our postsecondary institutions to uphold rigorous academic standards, protect free expression and open inquiry, control costs, safeguard our institutions from foreign influence, and prepare students for meaningful careers and genuine service to the nation,” he said.

McMahon called on every postsecondary institution in America to publish, by the end of 2026, a clear public statement on its institutional website outlining concrete commitments to rigorous teaching, path breaking research where applicable, and national service.

The Call to Action challenges institutions to examine and publicly address seven critical areas including admissions transparency and merit, free speech and the protection of campus operations from disruption, intellectual pluralism and faculty hiring, and affordability and cost containment.

The Call to Action also challenged institutions to address student outcomes, academic standards and rigor in the age of artificial intelligence, safeguarding research and academic programs from malign foreign influence, and prioritizing American students, American interests, and urgent workforce needs.

DeSantis said Florida welcomes the national call as an opportunity for postsecondary institutions to codify and publicly communicate the reforms already implemented and underway throughout the state, while making clear the high standards expected of institutions serving Florida students.

The Florida Department of Education has also sent letters to private colleges and universities operating under the Independent Colleges and Universities (ICUF) and Commission for Independent Education (CIE), calling for their adherence to Secretary McMahon’s National Call to Action and ensuring that Florida’s independent postsecondary institutions uphold the same commitment to transparency, academic quality, student success, and institutional accountability.